Rule 12 If you find that a new idea or change wasn’t the best thing since sliced bread – use your loaf, admit it and ask others for help!

Not every idea is a great idea. Not every innovation or change is as good as we first thought. At the time it may have looked great, the intent was excellent and the plan developed in good faith. However, over time it may appear that the idea was the wrong one, or it was the right idea but the plan was flawed, or events outside of our control have stopped us from achieving what we hoped to.

Stop! I need to separate ego from the situation and admit what others may already know, but have just be too polite to say. “I need your help”: Help to either fix the situation, or at least minimise the discomfort or losses associated with persevering.

Sometimes we need to stick your neck out and say: “I don’t know....what do you reckon?”

We may not be able to fix things, however I may at least be able to send a message that I respect people enough to admit the problem, and then to call on their wisdom to help me explore what can be done. It is amazing what a little bit of humility and a dose of honesty can do to even the most skeptical team members and the way they perceive a manager. (Refer to Rule 4: Most people want to do a good job most of the time!)